Dutch king, queen pay tribute to MLK, visit Ga. sites

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The king and queen of the Netherlands on Tuesday continued a four-day tour of the U.S. by visiting Savannah.

They visited historically Black Savannah State University.

For a few hours, they walked around campus with smiles engaging students and university leaders in conversation as they toured so much of what Savannah State has to offer.

University leaders said the prestigious visit aligns with their messaging to potential students.

“For all of our students coming in if we’re hosting the King and Queen, we’re hosting all the future King and Queen Tigers,” said LeAndrea Mikell, interim vice president for university advancement.

The king and queen also met with officials at the Port of Savannah.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were ed by a delegation of Dutch business leaders.

The group sat roundtable discussed ways to make ports more sustainable and improve inland connectivity.

“We discussed the more obvious things like electrifying the equipment here or hybridization of the equipment here. Basically, reducing the emissions from the machines that operate here,” said Bas Verhaik, CEO of ELEO Technologies.

On Monday, the king and queen visited Atlanta, where they paid tribute to the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and learned about the history of the church where he served as pastor.

The visit comes less than a year after the king apologized for his country’s role in slavery and asked for forgiveness during a historic and emotional speech in Amsterdam.

At the King Center, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, Bernice King, greeted the king and queen and walked with them to a marble crypt containing the remains of her father and mother, Coretta Scott King, where the couple lay a wreath. Civil rights leader and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young also attended the event.

Willem-Alexander called the visit “deeply moving” for the couple and said the “drive for emancipation among people of color” was a story of “pain and anger, but also one of pride, solidarity and the steadfast belief in peace and reconciliation.”

“In the Netherlands, too, the fight against discrimination and racism continues to command our full attention,” he said, reading from prepared remarks. “Martin Luther King inspires us never to give up. His voice continues to resonate even across the Atlantic.”

The couple later met with Black students at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where they learned about the church’s role in the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for racial justice. On Tuesday, they are scheduled to visit Savannah State University, the oldest public historically Black college or university in Georgia.

The trip also has an economic motive. In 2023, total trade between Georgia and the Netherlands was $2.9 billion, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

The king and queen met earlier Monday with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp at the state Capitol, where they and a delegation of Dutch business leaders planned to discuss economic cooperation.

“Your Majesties, welcome to Georgia,” said the governor as the two couples exchanged pleasantries.

The Georgia Capitol was the first of many stops for the Dutch royals.

“This is very exciting. I see this trip as a highlight of my career,” said Jacob Veerman, consul general of the Netherlands in Atlanta.

He said the royal trip could lead to more investments in Georgia by Dutch companies and more investments in the Netherlands by Georgia companies.

“What I think – and I speak from my heart – is that Georgia is very inclusive,” he said.

Veerman said one of his goals is to Black businesses and show them the opportunities in the Netherlands.

“The other thing is also the link from slavery past to segregation and now to the inclusive community Georgia is,” he said.

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